This disclosure concerns an invention relating generally to animal cages, and more specifically to covers and lids for animal enclosures such as aquariums/vivariums.
Small mammals (such as ferrets, hamsters, gerbils, etc.), reptiles (such as snakes, chameleons, etc.), and insects/arachnids (such as tarantulas, scorpions, beetles, etc.) are becoming increasingly popular as pets, and are commonly housed by pet owners in standard animal enclosures such as aquariums. Aquariums available on the market today almost universally have transparent receptacles, e.g., box-shaped receptacles having glass sidewalls, which are capped with plastic or metal rims at their mouths. This rim generally protrudes inwardly and/or outwardly from the receptacle sidewalls, and/or has a lip extending inwardly from its inner perimeter. The rim (or its lip, if present) is often used to support a cover which prevents objects from falling into the water within the enclosure when it is used to hold aquatic animals, or to prevent the escape of animals when it is used to house land-based or amphibious animals.
A common problem with the use of such enclosures and covers to house land animals is that such animals are prone to escape. The covers, unless weighted down, are generally easily pushed aside by even very small animals. The use of weighting is disliked because it makes it difficult for animal owners to easily access the interiors of the enclosures, and it additionally poses a problem in that animals can sometimes push the covers slightly askance from the rims/lips, which then causes the weighted covers to fall within the enclosures. Further, even when the covers are weighted, they are often made of thin plastic or other lightweight materials which are so flimsy that the covers are easily bent, thereby allowing an animal to bend a portion of the cover upwardly (either temporarily or permanently) to allow just so much space that the animal may escape.
The invention is directed to an animal enclosure cover which may be provided on an animal enclosure (such as an aquarium), and which is extremely effective in preventing the escape of land animals. The invention, which is defined by the claims set out at the end of this disclosure, may be understood from the following summary and by reference to the accompanying drawings. As exemplified in FIGS. 1-2, an animal enclosure cover includes a stationary panel and one or more clamping members, wherein the clamping members are used to affix the stationary panel atop the animal enclosure. The stationary panel is bounded by a peripheral frame having opposing upper and lower surfaces. Each clamping member similarly has opposing upper and lower surfaces, and the clamping member upper surfaces are shaped to extend in parallel relation to at least a portion of the peripheral frame of the stationary panel. The stationary panel may therefore be fit on the top rim surface of the enclosure rim of the animal enclosure, and each of the clamping members may be fit below the enclosure rim with the upper surfaces of the clamping members being aligned in parallel spaced relationship to the lower surface of the stationary panel. The stationary panel and clamping members may then be brought together to clamp the enclosure rim therebetween, and an attachment member (such as a fastener, hook, clip, etc.) may be extended between the stationary panel and clamping members to affix them together on the enclosure rim. Where the stationary panel does not occupy the entirety of the enclosure rim, a door may be pivotally affixed to the peripheral frame of the stationary panel so that the door abuts a portion of the enclosure rim. The door may be opened to allow access to the interior of the animal enclosure, and it may bear a latch which can be actuated to engage the enclosure rim when the door is closed.
Preferably, the frame of the stationary panel is shaped to follow the perimeter of a rectangle or other polygon, or at least it partially encloses a central area, whereby at least a portion of the central area can be said to rest between two opposing frame members. Most preferably, this central area is occupied by material which is at least partially transparent, e.g., mesh or glass, so as to effectively provide a window borne with the stationary panel""s frame. Similarly, several clamping members can be provided wherein the clamping members are connected to define a clamping panel which extends in parallel spaced relation to at least a portion of the stationary panel when the enclosure rim is clamped between the stationary and clamping panels.
Animal enclosures such as these have been tested and have been found to work extremely well. In particular, it has been found to be effective in thwarting the escape of snakes and other strong animals which are prone to escaping, for which no other effective animal enclosure covers are known on the market.
Further advantages, features, and objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the associated drawings.